Penguins’ Malkin cleans up at NHL awards

By CHRIS JOHNSTON The Canadian PressPublished June 21, 2012 - 4:14am Last Updated June 21, 2012 - 5:36am

Average: 5(1 vote)

LAS VEGAS — Evgeni Malkin is going to need a bigger trophy case.

The Pittsburgh Penguins star walked away from the NHL awards show Wednesday with both the Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award, not to mention the Art Ross Trophy he’d already wrapped up after leading the NHL in scoring with 109 points.

It capped an incredible season for the Russian, who was also named MVP of the IIHF world hockey championship in May after leading his country to gold.

Malkin was the best hockey player on the planet in 2011-12 and became the fourth Penguins player in the last 20 years to be named NHL MVP following Sidney Crosby, Jaromir Jagr and Mario Lemieux.

Malkin edged New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist and Tampa Bay Lightning sniper Steven Stamkos for both the Hart and Ted Lindsay.

However, Lundqvist didn’t go home empty-handed. He won his first Vezina Trophy after a season where he posted eight shutouts to help the Rangers claim the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

It was a big night for Swedish-born players: Ottawa Senators defenceman Erik Karlsson won the Norris Trophy while Colorado Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog took home the Calder Trophy.

Both players seemed genuinely shocked by their victories.

“I don’t really think I understood how it works and how big it was until I came here,” said Karlsson. “And once I sat down and saw that the first prize was mine, I didn’t really know what to do. It was a big night.”

Added Landeskog: “It was a pretty special feeling. But I did get pretty nervous before.”

The St. Louis Blues were rewarded for their surprising season with Ken Hitchcock claiming his first Jack Adams Award and Doug Armstrong being named general manager of the year.